Station-indicator



(Nd Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

M. FISET.

$TATION INDICATOR.

Patented Mar. 21, 1893.

Michel J me t Jim/6211401,

Tu: NORRIS PKTERS w. worn-Limo. WASHINGTON, 01c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. PISET. STATION INDIGATQR.

N0. 493,763. Patented Mar. 21, 1893.

2 g .23 Z z 0 7 1D A n -17 A 1D" \QYQ C H UNITED STATES PATENT DEEICE.

MICHEL FISET, OF ALBANY, NENV YORK.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,763, dated March21, 1893 Application filed September 1, 1892. Serial No. 444,786. (Nomodel.)

To (ZZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHEL FIsET, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented certain new-and useful Improvements in Ann unciators; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in annunoiators for railway cars,and other uses, for presenting to view the names of stations, streets orotherplaces, or counts made as recorded; and it consists of thecombinations of devices and elements hereinafter particularly describedand specifically set forth in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide a positive means by which astrip or web having on it the names of stations, or streets or figuresexpressing places, or numbers, orthings may be made to have a positivemovement to a given distance at the will of an operator, and present ata place of sight the name of the street to be exposed to view, or thefigures or words to indicate the numbers or places or things which maybe in correspondence; also to provide means by which an operator mayexpose to view at will each one of the several words or figuresexpressive of names of streets, stations, places, things or numbersseriatim which may be provided on a strip or web of the annunoiator; andfurther to provide means by which the movement of'the web may bereversed at will of an operator to expose to sight names or figuresindicating stations, streets, places, numbers or things; and finally toprovide particular combinations of devices and parts by whichmyinvention may be embodied in an annunciator for use in railway cars orother places. I attain these objects by the means illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in whichFigure 1, is a side view of an annunciatorembodying the improvements inthis invention. Fig.2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view ofthe same from the sight-end with part of roller broken-to expose hiddenparts, and Fig. 4., is a longitudinal section at lines a: and y in Fig.2.

parts. The parts of this frame and the case may be made of wood or metalor both combined.

O is a strip or web of woven fabric or paper made with a suitable lengthto receive the number of names of stations, streets, places, 850., whichthe said web or strip is to carry, and with such a suitable width asmaybe necessary for receiving the longest line of letters or figures inthe name or number which the said strip or web bears. These names 0 c,or numbers, may be of any color which will contrast with the groundcolor of the strip or web 0.

D, D are suitable rollers which are each mounted on suitable axles cl atworking in bearings preferably supported from the posts a a of the frameAA. The opposite ends of the said strip or web 0 are suitably secured tothe respective rollers D D, so that when each respective roller isitself revolved, in a suitable direction, it will carry off from theother roller the portion of the strip or web C which may be on it, andwind on itself the said strip 01' web, and when the other roller isrevolved in the opposite direction it will wind on itself the web orstrip 0.

E is an endless'chain or belt carried by sprocket wheels 6. e, securedto the said rollers. This endless chain gears the said rollers D. Dso asto communicate the motion of each roller to the other accordingly asthey may respectively be revolved.

F F are clutch gear or teeth secured respectively to the opposite endsof rollers D, and F F are similar clutch gear or teeth se cured to therespective ends of rollers D and revolve with the same. These clutchgear or teeth may be of any known suitable form of construction.

G is an actuating clutch working loosely on the end portion of the axleor shaft d of roller D and opposite to the clutch gear or teeth F of thesaid roller so as to engage with the latter when said clutch G is insituation against the teeth F and co-incident with the roller.

same. This actuating clutch is made to have an elastic pressure againstthe clutch end or teeth F of the roller, and preferably by a spiralspring 9 between said clutch G and post a.

G is a detent made with a form of construction similar to that of theactuating clutch G and having its teeth made in correspondence with theteeth F on the end of roller D. for engagement with the same for holdingthe roller D from moving while the clutch G is being revolved to thedistance of a single tooth for reengagement with the teeth F of saidroller preparatory to actuating said roller to another movement to thedistance allowed by the length of movement of said clutch G. This detentG is held in place against the end of the roller D for engagement withthe teeth F of the same by any suitable spring, as spiral spring g. Theroller D is provided with a clutch G similar in construction to clutchG, and with a detent G similar to detent G of roller D, for the sameoperations and purposes as clutch G and detent G are employed withroller D. Clutch G is held in place against the teeth F of roller D byany suitable spring 9 and detent G is held in place against teeth F by asimilar spring.

H is a lever or arm secured to the clutch G by any suitable means, whichlever or arm is operated by any suitable device such as a draw-rod, orby a cord, or chain h secured with the free end of said arm H. H is asimilar lever or arm secured to clutch G for operating the same. Thefree ends of these arms H and H are preferably jointed together, andpreferably by a pin it which serves also as a means for connectingthedraw rod, cord or the draw chain It with both the said levers orarms. The length of movement of these arms H H is limited by means ofthe check pins or stops '5 t", which are so placed that the said leversor arms will move the said rollers to a distance sufficient to carry theWeb or strip C to a distance equal to the vertical extension ofthe'field displaying the letters, or figures, of the words, or numbers,which designate the station, street, number, or name to be displayed atthe opening or place of sight B.

J is a shifting bar or lever having its foot end held from moving andsuitably secured to the frame work, and its upper end free to move indirection toward and from the roller D. This shifting lever J ispreferably held against the outer side surface of the clutch G. by aspring, and preferably by spring 9 pressing the said clutch against theteeth F of roller D. This shifting lever is loosely cohnected with theouter side end of the said clutch so as to be linked with the same thatit may move the said clutch out of engagement with the teeth F of rollerD, when the shifting lever is moved in direction from said J is asuitable spring, preferably a spiral spring, having one end fixed to theframe or a stationary piece and its opposite end jointed with the clutchG by any suitable means, and at a point distant from the center ofmotion of said clutch. The drawings show the means for jointing the saidspring J with the said clutch to consist of an extension of arm or leverpiece H which is projected past the axle d on which the clutch moves.

K is a shifting bar or lever of construction and arrangement with clutchG similar to shifting bar or lever with clutch G and as above described,and it operates with the said clutch G for shifting the same as bar Jdoes the clutch G. K is a spring similar to spring J and havingconnection at one end with a stationary piece and its opposite end withthe clutch G preferably by means of the extended portion of lever or armH, connected with the said clutch. These springs J and K each operateswith its respective clutch to give it return movement, on theirrespective axles d d, to their normal positions after they have beenmade to operate with the teeth F and F of the respective rollers, tomove them to the distance allowed. The detents G and G are each providedwith a shifting bar or lever, L, similar each to the shifting bars J andK of the respective clutches G and G These bars L have their lower orfoot ends held in place with some stationary piece while their free endsare capable of being moved at will toward and from the respectiverollers D. D

M is a bar for loosely holding the levers or bars L L against the outersides of the said detents G and G This bar M is elastically connectedwith the levers or arms H H of the clutches G G by one or more springsor elastic'connections m.

N is a guard piece supported at a short distance from the standard N soas to form between said standard and guard piece a free opening in whichthe jointed end portions of arms or levers H H may work. This guardpiece also operates to resist the pull of the elastic connecting piecembetween the levers or arms H H and the bar M, and through said elasticconnecting piece this guard piece holds the said bar M drawn toward therollers D D. The said barM has its outer end portions secured each tothe detents, against which they bear, by any suitable means, as screws,or buttons. This bar M is preferably made to consist of a thin strip ofmetal which will be flexible, though a jointed bar may be employed.

O is a shifting bar preferably arranged over the rollers D D and web orstrip 0 and supported above the same by suitable pieces P P, through, orabove which, the upper or free ends j, 70, of the shifting bars J and Kof the respective clutches G G, and the upper or free ends Z of the barsL of the respective detents G and G work. This shifting bar is suitablyguided, and is provided with arm 0 with which lever Q, pivoted with astationary part of this device, operates for moving said shifting bar 0longitudinally in either direction. Pivoted with the opposite endportions of this shifting bar are the shifting levers q, q, g (1 eachprovided with an oblong slotr at its free end for receiving theprojected free endsj, k and Z Z of the shifting bars J, K and L.

In the normal condition of the respective parts of this annunciator, theweb or strip C is connected by its opposite ends to the rollers D D andis almost wholly wound on one of the said rollers as D with its oppositeend portion, having the first of the series of names or numbers on theother roller as on D and opposite the place of sight B,through whicheach name or number may be viewed when brought opposite the said placeof sight. In the normal position of parts the bar 0 with levers q q 1will be in position as shownjn Fig. 2, in which the levers q q will holdthe sliifting bars J, pressing on the clutch G and L pressing on detentG for holding both said clutch and detent pressed against the respectiveclutch teeth on the ends of the roller D; at the same time the levers gwill operate through the shifting bars of the clutch G and detent L, ofroller D to hold them out of engagement with the clutch teeth on theends of said roller. When this is to be used for announcing the places,stations orstreet-s railway cars are to stop at, the strip or web Owillhave on it the names of all such stopping places, in the order in whichthey occur. When the car is leaving a station or approaching it theconductor or other suitable person will operate the draft device,consisting of a draw rod,

chain or cord h, with sufficient force to draw down on the arms orlevers H H and move them until stopped by the stop 2, and in thismovement of the said arms the clutches GG will be moved at the distanceof the length of a single tooth,with clutch G and detent G out ofengagement with the respective clutch teeth provided on the ends of theroller D while the clutch G will be pressed against the teeth it engageswith, on roller D and detent G will be similarly pressed against theteeth at the opposite end of the said roller, the springs g 9 operatingto allow the inclines of the respective teeth of the clutches and detentto be crowded outwardly when the clutch G is being moved preparatory toshifting roller to the distance required for moving one name or numberfrom the place of sight and the next occurring name or number to thesaid place of sight B; WVhen the said clutch G is being moved to thedistance of a clutch tooth the detent G operates to hold the roller Dfrom moving, and while the clutch is being moved in thereverseddirection of the spring J and revolving the said roller to thedistance of one tooth, the spring g will allow the detent G to becrowded back, by the operation of the inclines of the teeth on theinclines of teeth F on roller D the bar M holding said detent fromrevolvingin eitherdirection. Repeated pulls on the draft device It willoperate the arms H H successively to move the said roller D, throughclutch G so as to cause the web orstri p O to carry the several names ornumber to the place of sight in the order they occur, until all thenames or numbers have been exposed, and the said web or strip has beenwound on roller D and from roller D. At the end of the road and when thecar is about to return over the same railway the operator will by movingthe shifting lever Q in a suitable direction move the bar M to theposition of full and dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the levers q g g willbe moved from position of full lines, Fig. 2, to that of dotted lines inthe same figure. Vhen levers q q will move clutch G and G out ofengagement with the clutch teeth, they respectively engage with, at therespective ends of roller D; while levers g will throw clutch G anddetent G in engagement with the respective clutch teeth provided on theends of roller D. With this change of position of bar M and lever-sq g g(1 the operator, by pulling on the cord, rod or chain h, will operatethe clutch G of roller D and revolve it to a distance sufficient to movethe name or number opposite the place of sight from such place and thenext occurring name or number to such place of sight, and the saidroller will take upon it as much of the web or strip as is unrolled fromroller D, and as often as the operator draws on chain it to move theclutch G to the distance of one tooth the roller D will move the stripor web 0 to a distance suflicient to make an exposure of a next name ornumber as it may occur on the said strip. By the use of the endlesschain or band E gearing the said rollers D, D together, the web or stripwill be released of all strain and the said rollers will be revolvedsimultaneously in the same direction one to wind the strip on itself andthe other to allow the unwinding of the same from itself, accordingly asthe mechanism is operated.

This annunciator maybe used for announcing or exposing any names,numbers or other objects to be viewed in regular order in one way ordirection, and in a reverse order of movement, as the nature of the usemay require, and it may be provided with a suitable bell or gong and ahammer operated by pulling the draw-rod, cord or chain h for calling theattention of passengers or others to the display of the name or numberbeing made or made to them. WVhen this device is used on railway carsfor announcing the station, place or street next stopped at, the cord orchain h maybe carried over suitable pulleys or other supports to outsideof the passenger room to be conveniently near the driver, brakeman, orother attendant, or maybe carried to any suitable place within the car.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. The combination with the rollers D D, endless chain or band gearingsaid rollers together for simultaneous revolution in like direction, andthe strip or web 0 secured at its ends with the said rollers andprovided on its exposed side with letters or figures or both,

forming names or numbers, of clutch teeth.

F F secured to an end of each of said rollers and coacting clutches G Gworking loosely on the axles of the same and capable of simultaneousmovement in opposite directions so that one of said clutches may engagewith the clutch teeth it coacts with while the other will be disengagedfrom the clutch teeth it coacts with, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

2. The combination with rollers D D, endless chain or band gearing saidrollers together that they may be simultaneously revolved in the samedirection, web 0 bearing on its exposed side names or numbers and havingits respective ends connected with said rollers so that each roller maywind on itself the portion of the web unrolled from the other, of clutchteeth F F secured to the respective ends of one of said rollers andteeth F F secured to the respective ends of the other roller, actuatingclutches G, G and detents G, G each loosely mounted on the respectiveaxles of the said rollers as described, springs for forcing saidclutches and detents into contact with the teeth they coact with,shifting bars J, K L L respectively held loosely connected with saidclutches and detents, levers H H operated at will bar M looselyconnected with levers L L and bearing against the outer sides of detentsG G3 and the elastic connecting piece mconnecting the said barM with thearms H, H, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination with the respective clutches G G and detents G Gloosely mounted on the respective axles of rollers D D, shifting bars J,K L L, springs g g g g forcing said clutches and detents in directiontoward the teeth secured to the respective ends of said rollers, of thelongitudinal shifting bar 0 levers q g g Q3 pivoted with said shiftingbar 0 and provided each with a slot receiving respectively the free endsof the shifting bars J K, L L, and shifting lever Q, all substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination with rollers D D geared together by an endless chainor band,a web 0 having on its exposed sides, names or figures, clutchesG G arms or levers H 11 operating to give motion to said clutches,detents G, G springs forcing said clutches and detents toward the teethfixed on the same, shifting bars J, K, L L shifting levers q q (1 (1provided each with slot 0" and receiving the free

